Photo courtesy of PCG
Seventeen people were evacuated from Barangay Lipay in Santa Cruz, Zambales, as continuous rains from the southwest monsoon triggered flooding in parts of the province.
The Philippine Coast Guard said personnel from its Santa Cruz substation carried out the evacuation at around 8 a.m. Saturday.
Among those brought to safety were eight members of one family, including four adults and four children.
Coast Guard personnel remained on standby for possible emergency operations as persistent rainfall continued to threaten communities in the province.
Local disaster officials were also coordinating with coastal barangays and government agencies to respond to weather-related incidents.
Zambales was among the areas placed under a red rainfall warning by PAGASA on Saturday, indicating the possibility of serious flooding in vulnerable communities.
The flooding came as authorities were also conducting search and recovery operations following the capsizing of a motorbanca carrying members of the Aeta community in Lake Mapanuepe in San Marcelino.
Six people had died in the Lake Mapanuepe incident, while four others were rescued. Two of the fatalities were recovered on Saturday and subsequently identified by their families.